Pics and Dispatch: MassUniting and Occupy Boston march on GE with a simple message: "PAY YOUR FUCKING TAXES"

Everyone
who met in Dewey Square this afternoon had one thing in common –
whether they're an activist with MassUniting, a member of Occupy
Boston, or one of the police officers assigned to chaperone today's
protest. They all paid a lot more taxes than General Electric last
year.

And so
the group of roughly 100 pissed off people poured across Atlantic
Avenue, and marched one block from Dewey to GE's Boston offices on
Summer Street. Their message was simple: “Pay your fucking taxes!”
They even brought an invoice for the company.

While
picketers gathered outside of GE, an undercover team of six
operatives – already positioned inside the building – made their
way up to the executive offices. As was expected, representatives
refused to speak with them – that despite MassUniting's clear
argument and Mr. Monopoly tax collector top hats.

This
all comes at a ripe time. MassUniting planned this and other actions
against corporate tax dodgers around tax season. But it's also an
interesting discussion point as Republican presidential candidates
continue to talk about things like “values” and “responsibility.”

Watching
the worker rats walk by today's protest in their black pea coats –
shaking their heads at activists, snapping cell phone pics like
they're at a zoo – I got to wondering if it's okay with them that
GE received more than $3 billion in tax refunds for Fiscal Year 2010.

These
aren't conspiracy theories. GE employs several former U.S. Treasury
officials. They lobby relentlessly for tax breaks. And unlike
everyone from unemployment beneficiaries to Wesley Snipes, they're
exempt from paying a dime. This should outrage everyone.

With
that said, the dirty work of blowing whistles on these kinds of
thieves is left to a handful of outspoken gadflies, who today came
from groups including the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) and
the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Through some SEIU delegates, I met Rafael Tavares, who worked for 11
years – through a third-party contractor – cleaning the GE
factory in Lynn. He says that after making $8 an hour there without a
single raise ever, and without vacation time or benefits, he was
fired for taking a few personal days.

Unfortunately,
Tavares and his other buddies from the Lynn plant represent just one
of many ways that GE games the system. Truth is, there are countless
people whose lives are worse off because of their practices. And
unlike GE, they'll all have to pay taxes this year.